UKC

I have been an SFA registered football coach for quite some time, and over the last few years we have been made aware of the potential damage stretching can do to young muscles. Research ‘recommends’ that kids warm up by starting out doing the activity very gently and increasing intensity gradually.
Now, to my question, I have recently completed the Climbing Wall award, and want to know what this means to climbers. Should we just start with some light bouldering to get the muscles working, or perhaps some games? Watching some of the full time ‘instructors’ at the walls I have visited all seem to focus on stretching – does this mean climbing is different?
Anybody else coach kids and know what the ‘recommended’ practice is?

In reply to howfantastic:

Yes. Games are a great way to warm up, but low-level traversing and games involving climbing holds are very useful when time is short and the kids are itching to get onto the wall.


No, it's not different. Stretching before warming up is no better for climbers than anyone else!


IMHO, pretty well as you've suggested (ie games and gentle bouldering).

In reply to howfantastic:


Well they are clearly not working to current good practice, possibly because they haven't kept up to date. And are simply following what they have done for years, or if they are too young for that to be an excuse, they are doing what they have been told is acceptable.

In reply to Paul at work:

Now see what I've just found through Al Halewood's blog:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Climbing-Games-Paul-Smith/dp/1906095167

Looks great, Paul! (Tempting enough for me to pre-order, and maybe also just what the OP and others are looking for...)